Untitled work by Manjari Chakravarti, produced at Khoj Kolkata (2006)

The 2006 International Artists Workshop, was held in Kolkota in Baruipur, which is a suburb on the southern fringes of the city rapidly being engulfed in the urban sprawl. The 24 participating artists were invited to respond to the site of Chaudhari Bari of Baruipur, a sprawling structure set amidst extensive gardens suspected to be constructed in the latter half of the 19th century. The building essentially follows the pattern of a residential dwelling with an introverted courtyard, several traditional arches and columns represent the aspirations and status of affluent families of the era. Manjari Chakravarti, commenting on her work in the Khoj Kolkata 2006 Catalogue (2007), states, “Women spent their lives in the antar mahal or the inner quarters of houses, looking out at activities from windows and peepholes especially designed for them. The stairs leading to thes quarters are inconspicuously placed. Climbing these stairs, I felt an acute sense of claustrophobia and depression that I have attempted to translate in my work as a physical experience. The dark climb upwards eventually gives way to fresh air and light on the rooftop.”